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Pictured: Target's store in Napa Valley, California. Image: Target

Target meets 2020 goal to install 500 rooftop solar arrays ahead of schedule

US-based retail giant Target has met its 2020 goal of installing rooftop solar at 500 locations ahead of schedule, as it strives to source 100% renewable electricity across its global operations by 2030.

Boots cited the impact of shows like Blue Planet in driving more awareness on single-use plastics. Image: Boots

Boots removes 149 tonnes of plastics from Christmas gift range

Boots will use 149 tonnes less plastic packaging to house its range of Christmas gifts this year than it did in 2018.

Northcote will be speaking at edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum in February 2020

John Lewis & Partners: Net-zero a commercial opportunity for business

EXCLUSIVE: John Lewis & Partners' decision to set a net-zero target before the UK Government enshrined its 2050 target into law evidences the fact that sustainability and profitability now go hand-in-hand, the retailer's director of corporate responsibility has claimed.

Pictured: Inside Newlife stores' shop in Moreton, Merseyside. Image: Newlife stores

'Pre-cycling': Closed-loop scheme for surplus fashion stock grows

The number of high-street fashion giants to have entered an agreement to sell their end-of-line surplus stock through a third party at a discount, in order to benefit charity, has reportedly grown this year.

The retailer claims that the removal of 5p carrier bags alone could save five tonnes of plastic annually, if scaled up nationally. Image: John Lewis & Partners.

John Lewis trials swathe of new recycling and reuse offerings

John Lewis & Partners has launched a string of seven new initiatives aimed at helping customers to reuse packaging and recycle items which are not currently collected by most domestic kerbside services.

Lidl is already operating rapid EV chargers at 20 of its Irish stores (pictured). Image: Lidl Ireland

Supermarket sweep: Tesco inks onsite solar deal as Lidl eyes rapid EV charging points

On the same day that Lidl has pledged to install rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers at all new stores, Tesco has unveiled plans for a UK-wide renewable energy programme.

Asda brings recycled plastic target forward five years

Asda has brought the deadline for its target of ensuring that 30% of plastics used in packaging comes from recycled feedstocks, originally set for 2025, forward to 2020.

In total, Morrisons is aiming to host 100 of the chargers by the end of 2019. Image: GeniePoint

Morrisons launches first round of rapid EV chargers

Morrisons has installed 50 rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers across its supermarket customer car parks this week.

More than 14.8 billion baby wipes are used in the UK every year, many of which end up in waterways, oceans and wastewater systems

Huggies to eliminate plastics from baby wipes and packaging

Kimberly-Clark-owned brand Huggies has pledged to eliminate plastics from its baby wipe range in the UK over the next five years and launch a portfolio next year that will allow consumers to return packaging to supermarkets to be recycled.

Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace have welcomed the move but claimed it was "a shame" it could not happen sooner. Image: John Lewis & Partners

John Lewis ditches plastic Christmas cracker toys

John Lewis & Partners has pledged not to sell Christmas crackers with plastic toys inside after the 2019 festive season.

The retailer will be rolling out NatureFlex to a selection of its all-year-round biscuits and cakes

Selfridges switches from plastics to compostable for Christmas food packaging

Selfridges is removing plastic packaging across its own brand range of Christmas food, switching to home compostable alternatives for 90,000 mince pies and 3,000 Christmas cakes.

Research by Hubbub estimated that 33 million people dressed up for Halloween in 2017, but 40% of costumes were worn just once

UK retailers to generate 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste from Halloween costumes

Halloween costumes sold by UK retailers are set to generate more than 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste, equivalent by weight to 83 million bottles, according to new research from environmental charity Hubbub.

To assist with UK forestry restoration, Shell is also launching a partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland

Shell commits £10m to offset emissions from customer fuel purchases in UK

Shell will spend £10m over the next year to offset the emissions from customers' fuel purchases at more than 1,000 service stations in the UK, following a successful trial in the Netherlands.

edie's guides to net-zero carbon continues with manufacturing sector

The second report in the series of edie guides on net-zero carbon has launched with a focus on the manufacturing sector.

Ankita has been heading up Harrods' CR work for almost two years

Meet edie's 30 Under 30 class of 2019: Ankita Patel, Harrods

This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Ankita Patel, corporate responsibility manager at Harrods.

Google's new deals span across Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Chile, Finland, Sweden, Belgium and Denmark. Image: Google

Google, Ikea, make major new renewable energy investments

Ingka Group - the largest retailer within Ikea's franchise system - has confirmed that it is on track to exceed its renewable energy targets after a string of recent investments, in the same week that Google has made its biggest renewable energy purchase to date.

Amazon commits to net-zero by 2040 following staff protests

E-commerce giant Amazon has pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040, after its staff lobbied for the firm to take more bold action on climate change.

The refill station will open to the general public on Saturday (21 September). Image: OneGreenBean/The Body Shop

The Body Shop: Demands for plastic-free shopping have 'come full circle since the 1990s'

EXCLUSIVE: The Body Shop's decision to begin offering plastic-free refills at its refurbished Bond Street store was largely driven by changing demands from its shoppers and staff, the brand's managing director has told edie.

Sustainable Supply Chains: 5 key areas for sustainability professionals

This new report, sponsored by alternative pallet company PALLITE, offers sustainability professionals insight into the key areas of sustainable supply chain management.

Why fashion needs to slow down to avoid ‘shutdown’

As Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors call for events like London Fashion Week (LFW) to be shut down, fashion brands remain worryingly silent about slowing product turnover before resource scarcity leaves them with no alternative, edie's reporter Sarah George argues.

The initiative is open to businesses of all sizes and sectors. Image: The Climate Group

New initiative to help business minimise climate impacts of cooling

The Climate Group has launched a new initiative aimed at helping businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their cooling processes and to decarbonise their cooling systems.

Selfridges believes the pop-up supports its vision of a department store being "=a social centre, not merely a place for shopping". Image: Selfridges

Second-hand September: Selfridges hosts clothing resale pop-up

Luxury department store Selfridges is showcasing second-hand clothing at its flagship store as part of a collaboration with resale platform Depop.

Greenpeace had been campaigning for supermarkets such as Sainsbury's to introduce refillable packaging. Image: Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's to launch refillable lines in bid to halve plastics packaging

Sainsbury's has confirmed that it will launch refillable versions of products such as milk and fizzy drinks in the coming years, as it strives to halve the amount of plastics it uses for packaging by 2025.

Five other businesses have been granted water self-supply licences this year, but John Lewis & Partners would be the first retailer. Image: WaterScan

John Lewis applies for water self-supply licence in first for UK retail

John Lewis & Partners has become the first UK retailer to apply for a water self-supply licence, in a bid to reduce water use and deliver savings.

More male and female farmers will be added to the India and Pakistan programmes

Primark to enrol 160,000 farmers under its sustainable cotton initiative

Retailer Primark has expanded its Sustainable Cotton Programme into China, assisting with overall plans to train more than 160,000 independent cotton farmers in sustainable farming methods across key sourcing countries by 2022.

The tinned tuna is one of several product lines Aldi is targeting over the coming months

Aldi to replace plastic sleeves on tinned tuna multipacks

Aldi has announced it will remove all plastic packaging on its multipacks of tinned tuna, which could save more than 11 tonnes of plastic annually if rolled out nationwide.

Amazon's 'bubble-lined plastic bags' are not recyclable through kerbside collections in the UK

Amazon under fire for new packaging that cannot be recycled

Amazon has been criticised by environmental groups and customers after introducing a range of plastic packaging that cannot be recycled in the UK.

The Women's Environment Network estimates that 200,000 tonnes of menstrual products and their packaging are wasted annually in the UK. Image: Simon Ryder-Burbidge

Sainsbury's removes plastic applicators from tampons

Sainsbury's has removed single-use plastic applicators from all of its own-brand tampon lines, as it strives to cut its packaging use and remove non-recyclable plastics from shelves.

Ikea serves more than 650 million diners globally every year, many of whom will opt for food or drink in to-go packaging. Image: Ikea

Ikea to begin removing plastic disposables from restaurants globally

Ikea has unveiled a new range of plastic-free disposable food service products, which will enable it to begin removing single-use-plastics from its food outlets from September.

The two chains have collectively added 128 stations to the Refill map

Itsu and Cook join water bottle refill scheme

Sushi chain Itsu and gourmet food retailer Cook have become the latest firms to join City to Sea's Refill campaign, aimed at reducing the public's reliance on single-use plastic water bottles.

M&S has a 36.5% market share for bras and already fits more than half of all women in the UK

M&S launches bra recycling campaign

Recycling of lingerie is now being encouraged by Marks and Spencer (M&S) under its new "love your boobs" campaign.

Lidl has described its "Green Bags" as an "affordable, reusable alternative" to single-use small fruit and vegetable bags. Image: Lidl UK

Lidl rolls out reusable produce bags to cut plastics

Lidl has begun selling reusable bags for consumers to put their loose fruit and vegetables in, in what the firm claims is a first for a UK supermarket.

The first of Tesco's plastic-glitter-free festive plants will go on sale in November

Tesco begins plastic glitter phase-out

Tesco has confirmed that it will remove plastic glitter from its Christmas trees, plants and flowers before the 2019 festive season begins.

The 5p charge has been widely attributed to a drop in plastic bag pollution on UK coastlines

Four years on: How have supermarkets responded to the 5p plastic bag charge?

The UK Government published its annual figures on single-use plastic bag sales last week, revealing that distribution by large retailers has fallen 90% since the 5p charge was introduced. But exactly what role have supermarkets played in that transition?

Amazon has invested in 1,342MW of electricity generation capacity to date

Amazon continues investment in renewable energy projects

Amazon has confirmed plans to expand its portfolio of energy assets with investment in two renewable energy projects in the US and Europe.

Companies taking part in 'Better Retail, Better World' include John Lewis & Partners, M&S, Fenwick and Kingfisher - the owner of B&Q and Screwfix

Report: UK retailers surpassing carbon reduction commitments early

A group of more than 25 of the UK's largest retailers have collectively reduced their absolute carbon footprint by more than one-third (36%) since 2005, a new study has found.

Rachel has worked at Selfridges' for more than five years, having gradually added more environmental and ethical responsibilities to her day-to-day duties

Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Rachel Hammond, Selfridges

This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Rachel Hammond, Selfridges' product and sourcing manager, sustainability.

The survey cohort included a mix of big-name corporates and independent SMEs

Survey: Retailers believe transformational sustainability will take years to achieve

Two-thirds of UK retailers believe it will take three years or more to transform their business models, processes, operations and products for holistic sustainability, a new survey has found.

M&S has 23 Market Place counters across the UK, all located in busy town and city centres. Image: M&S

M&S launches reusable container discounts to cut plastics waste

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has this week launched a discount scheme to incentivise the use of reusable containers at its in-store Market Place counters.

(L-R) Ikea team, compere Michaela Strachan and
presenter Solitaire Townsend, co-founder, Futerra

Meet the Sustainability Leader: CSR Engagement - Ikea

With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of our CSR Engagement/ Marketing Campaign of the Year award, team Ikea.

Both trials will last six months, with consumer attitudes and purchasing data to be analysed throughout

Iceland to trial UK's first major plastic-bag-free store

Frozen food retailer Iceland is trailing the removal of all plastic bags from one of its stores, replacing them altogether with "extra-strong" paper bags.

The first 6,000 pots arrived at Lush's UK headquarters this week

Lush debuts 'carbon-positive' packaging

Health and beauty retailer Lush has unveiled what it claims is the world's first 'carbon-positive' packaging.

Stuart oversees Clarks'compliance for SECR, CRC, ESOS and Producer Responsibility, as well as its alignment with the SDGs

Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Stuart Gascoigne, Clarks

This new series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Stuart Gascoigne, global energy & waste manager at shoe giant Clarks.

CDP has warned that investors will increasingly begin asking for forestry information, leaving companies with weak disclosure records in this space at a disadvantage

CDP: Food and retail giants failing to disclose forest impacts

CDP has criticised a string of big-name brands including Ikea, Sports Direct and Domino's Pizza for failing to provide data on their forest impacts.

There are now more than 22,000 Refill locations across the UK

Asda rolls out free refill scheme to cut plastic bottle use

Asda has begun offering free tap water refills at all of its in-store cafes, after trialling the offer at 37 of its locations this spring.

From small beginnings in a handful of independent shops in 2017, Refill has grown into a national campaign. Image: City to Sea/23red

National Refill Day: How businesses are uniting against single-use plastic water bottles

Since its launch in 2017, City to Sea's Refill campaign has spurred dozens of big and small businesses to offer free water bottle refills. To mark National Refill Day 2019, edie explores the impact of the campaign to date.

Ralph Lauren pledges to set approved science-based targets by 2020

Ralph Lauren has vowed to pledge to source 100% renewable electricity for its operations by the end of 2019, before setting approved science-based emissions targets in 2020.

Talking SDG engagement with Ben Kellard, Peter Andrews and Tor Harris

edie's Mission Possible sofa chat show returns for 2019. In this episode, edie discusses the Sustainable Development Goals with leading experts from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Waitrose.

Barry has just 27 days left in his current role before he takes a break. Image: World Economic Forum (WEF)

M&S's Mike Barry to step down as director of sustainable business

Marks and Spencer's (M&S) director of sustainability Mike Barry has announced plans to step down from leading the company's 'Plan A' strategy at the end of the month.

The issuance is the first in a series of planned green re-financing initiatives for Co-op Group

Co-op issues £300m bond supporting Fairtrade movement

Retailer Co-op's parent organisation Co-op Group has raised a £300m green bond which will be used to support the Fairtrade movement's bid for more sustainable farming supply chains.

Plans are in place to roll the AirDoor out to more Waitrose stores

Waitrose to launch 'invisible door' that could save retailers £1.5bn on energy bills

Waitrose & Partners will introduce an "invisible" door" to combat the amount of avoidable energy that is lost at entrance doors to retail stores, with research suggesting that a widescale rollout could help British retailers save £1.5bn annually on energy bills.

127 produce lines will be sold loose under the programme

Morrisons rolls out plastic-free fruit and veg offering nationwide

Supermarket giant Morrisons will roll out packaging-free fruit and veg across 60 of its UK stores this summer, following a successful trial at three of its stores.

<p>230 of The Body Shop's UK stores are covered by the scheme</p>

The Body Shop launches in-store take-back scheme for plastic packaging

Health and beauty retailer The Body Shop has launched a multinational take-back scheme for its plastic packaging, after consumers voiced concerns that not all of the brand's packaging is accepted by local authorities under kerbside recycling schemes.

During the first year of Tesco's Energy Matters scheme, more than 20,000 bakery and hot counter staff were trained

Tesco: Behaviour change will 'always have a place' in energy efficiency

As the fruits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution continue to re-shape how business operates, many companies are now turning to digital technologies for all of their energy reduction schemes. But for Tesco, behaviour change will always be a "key" piece of the energy management puzzle.

Walmart hopes the move will encourage greater disclosure and innovation from suppliers. Pictured: Solar arrays operated by Walmart China

Walmart partners with HSBC to launch green finance programme for suppliers

As part of a partnership with HSBC, US-based retail giant Walmart has developed a green finance initiative that rewards suppliers for setting, meeting or exceeding ambitious sustainability aims.

More than 6,200 people across Hull have signed up to receive food through OLIO to date

Costa joins Hull redistribution scheme to combat food waste and hunger

Coffee chain Costa has joined a collaborative, business-led initiative which uses a food sharing app to help tackle food waste and food poverty issues in Hull.

Waste streams for recycling will be collected from 10 stores across Swindon and Bristol

Tesco to trial plastic-to-oil innovation which makes all packaging 'recyclable'

Supermarket giant Tesco has inked a deal with Swindon-based recycling firm Recycling Technologies, which will see the retailer trial an innovative system that converts soft plastics back into oil.

Ikea's 'People and Planet Positive' strategy includes a 2020 target of producing more renewable power than it uses

Ikea reveals mixed progress towards 'climate-positive' and circular economy goals

The world's largest furniture retailer has revealed that 70% of the materials used to make its products during 2018 were either renewable or recycled, as it strives to reach the 100% mark by 2030.

The Too Good to Waste boxes first hit Lidl’s shelves in August 2018

Lidl set for national roll out of 'Too Good to Waste' fruit and veg boxes

Supermarket chain Lidl UK has confirmed that it will roll out its 'Too Good to Waste' produce boxes across all stores, after a trial across 122 locations last year proved successful.

Target’s chairman and chief executive Brian Cornell first announced the firm's desire to set a science-based target in 2017

Target supports suppliers to set science-based emissions aims after having own goals approved

US-based retail giant Target has pledged to ensure that 80% of its suppliers set science-based emissions-reduction targets by 2023, after it was given the Science Based Targets Initiative's (SBTi) stamp of approval for its own carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) ambitions this week.

Shell Energy Retail also suppliers gas, smart home technology and broadband to households across Britain

First Utility rebrands as Shell Energy and switches 700,000 customers to renewable energy

A year after Shell acquired First Utility it has rebranded the supplier as Shell Energy Retail and has today (25 March) confirmed it has switched more than 700,000 homes in Britain to 100% renewable electricity.

The retailer has additionally pledged to create a zero-emission fleet by 2045

John Lewis Partnership targets 'net-zero' operational carbon emissions by 2050

Retail giant John Lewis Partnership has today (20 March) pledged to achieve "net-zero" carbon emissions for its direct operations by 2050, without purchasing carbon offsets.

The BEIS Committee is calling for improvements to the Government's sector deal creation process

Industrial Strategy not supporting clean growth in 'neglected' sectors, MPs warn

Sector Deals developed under the UK Government's Industrial Strategy must be bolstered to ensure that "neglected" industries such as steel and retail are supported throughout the low-carbon transition.

The phase-out will cover all of Aldi's UK and Ireland stores

Aldi targets plastic glitter phase-out by 2020

Supermarket chain Aldi has pledged to remove plastic glitter from 100% of its own-brand products by 2020, starting with its Halloween 2019 range.

Tesla had announced plans to reduce the purchase price of its Model 3 car to £26,500

Tesla to raise EV prices as it cuts back on retail store closures

Tesla looks set to reduce the number of brick and mortar retail stores that will close over the following months, in a move that will see the prices of its electric vehicles (EVs) increase by 3%.

Primark’s Sustainable Cotton Programme currently covers 28,000 farmers, with the retailer aiming for 30,000 by the start of 2022

Primark launches jeans made with 100% sustainably sourced cotton

Fashion retailer Primark has launched its first range of jeans made with 100% sustainably certified cotton, after expanding its sustainable cotton farming and sourcing scheme.

Amazon claims that a trial of the scheme in Washington State avoided the use of

Amazon launches box 'grouping' service to slash packaging and emissions

Online retailer Amazon has launched a service that enables customers to choose a set delivery day and 'group' their orders, which will help the company reduce its packaging footprint and optimise its delivery routes.

Landsec launches textile take-back scheme to combat fast-fashion

Property developer Landsec is launching a fashion take-back scheme at one of the UK's largest shopping centres in a bid to encourage consumers to divert used textiles from landfill.

Sustainability experts from an array of businesses came together in London to discuss the potential solutions to energy and waste issues related to the circular economy

Circular roundtable: How can businesses accelerate the resource revolution?

Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and EDF Energy, to discuss how organisations are stepping up efforts to accelerate a circular economy.

Iceland has set the prices of all loose product lines to be lower than those of their pre-packaged equivalents

Iceland removes plastic packaging from fresh produce lines in 'greengrocer' scheme

Supermarket Iceland is trialing the removal of plastic packaging from its fruit and vegetable lines at one of its largest UK stores, in a bid to gauge whether consumers are willing to buy loose produce.

The frozen goods will be redistributed to Company Shop member who work in food manufacturing, emergency services and the NHS

Big-name supermarkets to use innovative blast freezers in fight against food waste

Sainsbury's, Aldi and Marks and Spencer (M&S) are among a group of big-name supermarkets to back an innovative new 'blast freeze' technology which enables surplus stock to be frozen rapidly, ready for redistribution.

The system steers cold air directly back down fridge units to stop cold air from spilling out onto the aisles

Waitrose installs Formula One technology to boost energy savings from fridges

Supermarket Waitrose & Partners is set to install innovative technology inspired by Formula One race cars across its stores, in a move it claims will reduce the energy consumption of its refrigerators by up to 25%.

Aldi UK and Ireland is set to donate more than two million meals to those in need this year

Aldi launches new regional redistribution scheme in bid to slash food waste

Discount supermarket chain Aldi is set to directly donate surplus food from 24 of its UK stores to local charities after partnering with product redistribution platform Neighbourly.

Amazon targets carbon-neutral shipments by 2030

Online retailer Amazon has set an ongoing target of achieving carbon neutrality for all its global shipments, starting with a 2030 ambition of making half of its shipments 'net-zero'.

At its B&Q distribution centre in Swindon, Kingfisher currently sources 3.5MW of renewable energy for power

Kingfisher has emissions goals approved by Science Based Targets initiative

Home improvement retailer has had goals to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 22% and emissions from purchased goods, services and the use of sold products by 40% approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Richard Ellis explained the importance of using the SDGs to communicate the business benefits of running CSR initiatives

How SDG alignment helped Walgreens Boots Alliance prove the profitability of sustianability

EXCLUSIVE: By aligning the company's sustainability strategy with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Walgreens Boot Alliance's sustainability team have been able to secure "far greater" boardroom-level support for its actions, the company's vice president for CSR has revealed.

Ikea UK claims that the store, which it hopes will gain BREEAM ‘Excellent’ accreditation, is its most sustainable to date

Living Lagom in London: Inside Ikea's new 'leading' sustainable store

edie reporter Sarah George takes a trip to Greenwich to learn how Ikea's new store - touted as its "most sustainable" UK location to date - evidences the company's shift towards circularity and 'climate-positivity'.

The first eight bins, which are made from recycled plastic, were installed on Monday (28 January)

M&S rolls out in-store take-back scheme for hard-to-recycle plastics

Retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) has pledged to install take-back bins for hard-to-recycle plastics across the UK by the end of the year, after launching a new plastics recycling scheme this week.

Typical pasta usually contains about 10g of protein per bowl, while Jimini’s insect fusilli contains 18g

Selfridges launches insect-based food range as demand for sustainable protein grows

Department store Selfridges has unveiled plans to stock a range of insect-based snacks, in a bid to showcase the environmental and nutritional benefits of alternative proteins to UK customers.

The trial will run across eight of Morrisons' stores, until April

Morrisons tests customer appetite for plastic-free shopping in paper bag trial

Supermarket giant Morrisons has this week launched a trial of US-style paper grocery bags, in a bid to gauge consumer attitudes to plastic-free options at the checkout.

New free industry report on the future of distributed energy

Available now, this new report, written by The Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by energy experts E.ON, examines the growth in distributed generation and the impact this could have on UK businesses. The result of an in-depth survey with contributions from 450 senior executives from intensive energy users across the manufacturing, transport and logistics, hospitality, and retail industries. It explores the reasons behind the move to self-generation and the value organisations derive from it providing valuable insight for organisations both considering this approach and those looking to increase their own generation.

The offsetting scheme will also cover the 65 stores Aldi UK & Ireland plans to open this year

Aldi achieves carbon neutrality for UK and Ireland operations

Supermarket chain Aldi UK and Ireland has achieved its 2019 target of becoming a 'net-zero' business, after investing in a carbon offsetting programme last year.

Co-op's Iain Ferguson and Waitrose's Tor Harris offer expert insight on how business can reduce reliance on plastics

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Advancing the plastics debate with Waitrose and Co-op

As part of a week of action on single-use plastics and the launch of edie's Plastics Hub, the Sustainable Business Covered podcast returns for 2019 with exclusive, plastic-focused interviews with sustainability experts at the Co-op, Surfers Against Sewage and Waitrose.

M&S has employed trained greengrocers as part of the trial, to ensure customers know how to weigh and preserve their shopping

M&S removes plastic packaging and 'best-before' dates from produce

Retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) has begun trialling dozens of plastic-free fruit and vegetable lines without 'best-before' date stickers, in a bid to reduce consumer packaging and food waste outputs.

The reverse vending machines offer users a 10p discount coupon for every plastic bottle inserted

Iceland collects more than 300,000 plastic bottles in reverse vending trial

Frozen food retailer Iceland has unveiled the results of its trial of an in-store deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, revealing that the scheme has captured more than 300,000 bottles since its launch in May 2018.

McCartney was quizzed by CNN's chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour

Stella McCartney: Policy must encourage businesses to make fashion sustainable

Designer and green activist Stella McCartney has called on policymakers to implement laws which will incentivise big-name fashion brands to shift away from cradle-to-grave models and poor supply chain practices.

Merlin Entertainments operates more than 120 attractions worldwide, including Thorpe Park and Legoland in the UK

Merlin Entertainments begins single-use plastic phase out, starting with straws

The Legolands, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds operator has launched a review into the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items across its global estate, pledging a removal of plastic straws from its operations by the end of 2018.

Five ways retailers are using Black Friday to champion CSR

Today (23 November) marks Black Friday - but while the majority of companies and consumers conform to this spending spree, a select few a using the occasion to champion resource efficiency, social sustainability and environmental conservation. Here, edie outlines how five companies that are turning that trend on its head.

Black Friday is the antithesis of sustainable business, but there's an alternative

It's that time again. Today is Black Friday, the biggest sales event of the year, as Britain's retailers stack high and sell low before Christmas. Sustainable Development Goal 12 (sustainable consumption and production patterns) seems all but forgotten for the time being.

The EAC's request for greater disclosure has been sent to Amazon UK, Asos, Boohoo, Misguided and PrettyLittleThing

MPs urge online fashion giants to disclose environmental and social impacts

In letters to five of the UK's largest online-only fashion retailers, including Amazon and ASOS, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called on brands within the so-called "fast fashion" industry to disclose the full extent of their environmental and social impacts.

The animated Rang-tan advert was originally created and used by Greenpeace earlier this year

Why Iceland's deforestation-focused Christmas advert won't be on TV this year

Iceland's decision to use part of its Christmas communications campaign on an advert that highlighted the destructive nature of palm oil has been blocked from airing on UK television channels, but why?

The bags will be made with post-consumer recycled plastics from Plastic Bank's Manilla recycling facility

M&S unveils reusable bags made with 75% 'ocean-bound' plastic

Retail giant Marks and Spencer (M&S) has unveiled a new range of reusable carrier bags made with 75% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic in a bid to boost consumer awareness around plastic pollution and raise money for recycling infrastructure.

The Government claims the funding could distribute a quarter of a million meals annually

Government unveils new £15m scheme to tackle retail food waste

The UK Government has today (1 October) announced that it will spend £15m on a new initiative aimed at redistributing almost £1bn worth of food waste from supermarkets, other retailers and manufacturers.

One foot in ‘today’, the other in ‘tomorrow’

The retail sector has done much in the last decade on sustainability, but it is increasingly apparent that all this has just been a dress rehearsal, a beginning not an end.

The phase-outs and carrier bags replacements will see the equivalent of 125 million plastic bottles removed from production

Co-op switches to compostable bags as it pledges to eliminate single-use plastics

The Co-op has revealed it will swap around 60 million plastic carrier bags with compostable alternatives that can be used as food waste caddy liners, as part of a wider goal to "remove" single-use plastics from its product offerings.

edie's insight editor George Ogleby launched the report at the 2018 edie Responsible Retail event

Responsible Retail: edie launches sector insight report at conference

edie has this week launched a new report providing an in-depth look at the practical steps that can be taken by sustainability professionals in the retail industry to achieve a sustainable future, today.

Mission Possible: Achieving a sustainable future for RETAIL

The second in our brand-new sector insight report series provides an in-depth exploration of the steps that sustainability and energy professionals within Britain's retail industry can take to achieve a sustainable future, today.

M&S currently hands out 75 million pieces of plastic cutlery in its cafe's each year

M&S to phase out plastic cutlery in cafés

Marks and Spencer (M&S) will start phasing out plastic cutlery across its in-store cafés next month in a move it claims will remove 75 million pieces of plastic from its waste stream annually.

The solar PV system has now been operational for 12 months

Landsec hints at energy storage to bolster Britain's biggest shopping centre solar array

The UK's largest commercial property developer, Landsec, has revealed that it is sourcing 22% less grid electricity for its White Rose shopping centre in Leeds after installing a 2,902-panel solar array on the roof.

Walmart reduced supply chain emissions by 20 million tonnes last year

The world's largest retailer has revealed that its suppliers collectively reduced their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 20 million tonnes in 2017, as the company pushes towards a target to cut supply chain emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030.